1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a quantum effect device using quantum wires or quantum dots.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, the oscillation wavelength of a semiconductor LED determined by the magnitude of the band gap. This band gap is a constant intrinsic to a substance, so it is difficult to fabricate a device with a variable wavelength using a semiconductor LED.
A new semiconductor device drawing attention, however, is a quantum effect device which uses quantum wires or quantum dots. In this device, electrons are confined in fine wires or small dots formed at intervals of about the quantum-dynamic wavelength of the electrons and utilize the electron behavior according to the quantum level of the quantum well. Examples of application of quantum wires or quantum dots to laser devices are also known. One example of such a device uses quantum wires as the active layer of a quantum well laser. The phenomenon of spatial isolation of electron-hole pairs and the restraining of the light emission process, resulting in a sharp drop in the light output, by application of an electric field to a quantum well is also known.
In such types of quantum effect devices, quantum wires and quantum dots arrayed at extremely fine intervals are used, and its operation is based on the intrinsic quantum size effect.
However, when preparing a new device which smashes existing ideas and enables change of the light emission wavelength, the desired operation cannot be obtained just by forming a gate electrode for control of the modulation.